The Book That Thawed My Cold, Dead Heart
Controlling outward displays of emotion when it comes to books, movies, and indeed life in general has always been a point of pride for me.
Reading Roundup 2024
Hey book lovers! Welcome to MJ's Reading Roundup 2024, where I share my thoughts on the books that kept me company throughout the year.
TimeBlink: TALISMAN A Preview
I'm thrilled to share with you the entire first chapter of TimeBlink: TALISMAN, a novella that delves into the origins of one of the most adored characters from The Syd Brixton TimeBlink Series.
From Tragedy to Time-Travel Series: A Tribute to My Sister
On a warm August evening in 1990, my world changed forever. It was the day I learned my sisters had been in a horrific accident, and that one of them ...
How Fancy Dialogue Tags Pull You Out of A Story
Have you ever been yanked out of a great story after repeatedly encountering clunky dialogue tags like he intoned, she questioned, or they retorted?
A Novel Way to Discover Books
When Ben Fox invited me to contribute to his new book discovery platform, Shepherd.com, I was skeptical. Authors are often approached by various services claiming to boost our visibility or ...
How to Win a TimeBlink Talisman
Inspired by this talisman, I’ve launched a contest to win a gorgeous sterling silver dragonfly talisman of your own.
A Peek Behind the Editing Curtain
Recently, a reader asked me about the editing process for The Syd Brixton TimeBlink series, and her surprise was palpable ...
The Last Chapter: A Journey Through Pet Loss and Love
As a time-travel thriller writer, I’m accustomed to navigating the twists and turns of fictional worlds, but the reality of losing my beloved Havanese dog, Tetley, has proved to be
Love Time Travel But Not Sci-Fi? The TimeBlink Series is for You
As the author of two time-travel thrillers with a third one in the works, I’m feeling a little pressured by a certain group of readers.
Is AI About to Steal My Job?
It's happening again. The woebots are after my job.
Hunks, Harleys, And A Happy Author
If you read my recent post, Confessions Of A Time-Travel Thriller Author: I Hate Writing Blogs, you willl know I was desperate to shake up my whole blog writing strategy.
Reading Roundup 2022
It's a miracle, folks. This post is proof that I have stuck with a personal goal for three years in a row!
Confessions of a Time-Travel Thriller Author: I Hate Writing Blogs
It’s true. Blog writing is the bane of my existence (which is a terrible opening line if I want you to read this blog post). But damn, it feels great to get that off my chest.
Surviving Your First One-Star Review
TL;DR: Be thankful someone bought your book. Ignore the naysayers. Eat pizza.
When "Good Stress" Kicks Your Butt
At some point, we've all experienced it: Everything is going along great. Then WHAM! Life turns around and punches you in the gut.
My Top 10 Mitch Albom Quotes About Love
If you enjoy reading mainstream literature, you will likely have heard of Mitch Albom, the internationally acclaimed author of Tuesdays with Morrie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven and ...
Reading Roundup 2021
Remember way back at the beginning of 2021Â when the global health situation was in flux? Remember when we were being forced ...
My First Year as a Self-Published Author: The Hard Truth
As I write this post, I can’t help but feel a little melancholy about the past twelve months. It was exactly a year ago that I unfurled my hand and ...
Choosing Your Novel's Setting When You Don't Live in the US
Imagine a Pacific Northwest city close to the US-Canada border that boasts lush forests, stunning nearby mountains, a small working harbor with a cruise ship terminal, and a population of ...
Four Awesome Design Tools for Authors and Other Creatives
As a person who lacks any formal graphic arts training but one who appreciates good quality design when she sees it, I’m always on the lookout for tools to beef ...
Seeing the Number 444 Everywhere? What it Might Mean
Near the beginning of 2001, when my husband (then-fiancé) and I were preparing for our upcoming summer wedding, something bizarre happened. Something so odd you might shake your head.
For the Love of Little Free Libraries
You may have noticed one in your neighborhood: a small, brightly painted box perched on a post, strategically placed at the curb in front of a private residence.
Love Doing Jigsaw Puzzles? You Can Write a Book!
Have you ever put a jigsaw puzzle together? Was it easy? Or did you struggle the whole way through? Building a puzzle is a lot like writing a novel ...
A Mom, a Monkey, and an Airport Security Mishap
My last couple of posts have been a little, well, depressing. One was about an angry woman I encountered when I stopped to pick up ice cream and the other
A Heartbreaking Choice: Putting Our Dog to Sleep
Imagine it's Saturday night. You're watching TV with your partner, eating popcorn, enjoying a glass of wine when the unthinkable happens.
How Stopping for Ice Cream Ruined My Day
This is a story about anger. So if you're not in the mood to get slightly riled up, feel free to ignore it. But before I get into my observations
How to Tip Your Favorite Author (for free!)
There's no denying it. Reviews help sell products. Think about it. You want to go on a trip, maybe to somewhere you've never visited before. Back when we took traveling